


Listening to Other's Battles

by victoriousscarf



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: Battle of Helms Deep, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-29
Updated: 2013-07-29
Packaged: 2017-12-21 17:22:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/902896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/victoriousscarf/pseuds/victoriousscarf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eowyn had not much chance to see the elf lady before the battle. She’d heard the horns from the caves and recognizing that they could never have been orcish horns, she ran upward, peeking through the warriors to see the elves. A tall woman with flowing dark hair and crimson and purple raiment embraced Aragorn and she slipped back to where she had been told to protect their people.</p><p>A brief what if based on if Arwen had come to Helms Deep as originally planned in the films.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Listening to Other's Battles

Eowyn had not much chance to see the elf lady before the battle. She’d heard the horns from the caves and recognizing that they could never have been orcish horns, she ran upward, peeking through the warriors to see the elves. A tall woman with flowing dark hair and crimson and purple raiment embraced Aragorn and she slipped back to where she had been told to protect their people.

So the woman—the elf rather—who had given Aragorn such a necklace had not left after all.

Eowyn was not sure if that hurt or if she had always suspected it would be true.

Soon enough there was no time to dwell, battle raging above them as the women and children whimpered and she stood at the entrance, a sword in her hand, waiting. Sometime in the endless hours of the night, orcs broke through and she almost welcomed the distraction from the tension that had been crawling up and down her spine.

But the skirmish was soon over and she returned to standing at the entrance, listening to other’s battles and glory above her while she remained still.

Finally, dawn came and a deeper horn was blown as a messenger ran down to tell them to make their way through the passage and toward the hills. He refused to tell her how many had fallen, only that the king still stood but they must flee.

Thankfully they had not made it far when Aragorn himself came to fetch them back, the battle won in the dawn. The women and children gladly run from the caves, though they shifted back in terror at the corpses strewn everywhere, orc and man and elf having fallen in the night.

Once she had embraced Eomer, who held her tightly after his exile and had seen to her uncle, Eowyn found her eyes seeking out the elf warrior, wondering if she made it through the night. Eowyn found her standing between Aragorn and Legolas, saying something to the light haired elf and each of her movements made Eowyn feel flat footed.

She turned quickly to busy herself with helping her people as she always had, getting those warriors who survived water, and herding the children, gathering them in groups to turn for home.

“We must return to the Golden Hall,” her uncle said. “The farmers will return to their farms.” She nodded and found herself standing next to the elf as they waited for the others to saddle their horses.

For a moment they stood in silence, Eowyn noticing the dashes of blood that broke up the elves otherwise flawless pale skin, only several strands out of place. “Will you return with us?” Eowyn finally asked.

“Yes, for now,” the elf said, grey eyes watching Eowyn and even the tilt of her head was effortless graceful and Eoywn’s cheeks wanted to burn to be looked at. A slender sword hung at her waist and even that made Eowyn feel clunky with the thicker weapon of Rohan. She’d never stood a chance, she realized, even more so when she caught the way Aragorn would glance over at his love. “But I must join my brothers. They are coming from Rivendell so I may not stay long.”

“I hope you enjoy our hospitality while you may,” Eowyn said and the elf smiled at her.

“I am Arewn,” she said and Eowyn shifted again.

“And you are allowed to fight,” she said and Arwen cocked her head to one side.

“We live a long time,” she said finally. “We do not draw the same lines that men sometimes chose to. When my mother died my brothers hunted down those who had attacked her. They are well known orc-hunters now,” she said and Eowyn wondered what that had to do with her earlier question. “No one finds it odd that I do the same,” Arwen continued. “These are dark times and I would rather fight than waste away with worry.” Her eyes sought out Aragorn and Eowyn looked down rather than spy on their look. “I have helped protect Rivendell and my family for years now,” she said. “And I would follow Aragorn.”

“Many would,” Eowyn said softly and Arwen graced her with another smile.

The call sounded for them to mount their horses and Arwen hesitated a moment longer, Eowyn waiting with her. “Your time will come,” Arwen said and Eowyn frowned. “Your heart is too strong for anything else. What is your name?”

Eowyn flushed to realize she had never given it. “Eowyn.”

“Then I wish you the luck you can have,” Arwen said, mounting her white horse and urging it forward to where Aragorn was waiting. As Eowyn stared after them, Legolas and Gimli passed, Gimli offering her a wave and a good morning, though it was clear that within moments of riding out, he would be asleep against Legolas’ back and she smiled.

Even so, she spent much of the journey home next to her brother, watching Arwen and Aragorn and wondering at the ease at which everyone accepted the elf as a warrior willing to fight and still be beloved as a man such as Aragorn. 

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to poke at the idea of Arwen and Eowyn meeting before Arwen's marriage when she clearly came simply as a bride rather than as a warrior. And what that would mean to Eowyn to see another women accepted in the battle and in fact helping to lead it (as well of course as the fact she still considers herself in love with Aragorn). 
> 
> I'm actually pretty much forever angry at the Jackson movies about Arwen because of what he did with her in the second and third movies. I know a lot of people wouldn't have wanted her at Helm's Deep and once I started looking at Eowyn I think it would have certainly confused a lot of elements of the story, but once Jackson set her up as a warrior in the first movie I really wish it had continued instead of pretty much regulating her to fainting on beds to sorrowful music in the next two movies. It was way too obvious a complete character turn around. 
> 
> (Though, if you look really hard, you can find Arwen at several points in the battle footage still. Makes me sad for could have beens).


End file.
